On or off the Buses!

Earlier this year Somerset County Council bid for £163m to improve rural bus services, however the Government has only offered just £11.9m, just over seven per cent of what Somerset County Council estimated would be needed.

Patronage on local bus services across the county fell dramatically during the pandemic.  This has not recovered with passenger numbers currently at 65% of pre-covid levels.

Making this a perfect storm for bus operators, they are also experiencing a severe shortage of bus drivers.

The withdrawal of Government support for buses could have serious consequences for many of our communities in the county. As plans become clear in the coming weeks, Somerset County Council will set out exactly what we intend to do.  In the meanwhile, the Lib Dems in Somerset have been leading on campaigns to save specific bus routes.